


Prelude

by primeideal



Category: Pandemic Legacy: Season One
Genre: E-mail, Gen, Pre-Canon, Scientific Method
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-13
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-12-01 17:52:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11491557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/primeideal/pseuds/primeideal
Summary: What happened the winter before.





	Prelude

**Author's Note:**

  * For [molybdomantic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/molybdomantic/gifts).



> This is inherently spoilery for most if not all of the game, so please take caution before reading!
> 
> For tic_tac_woe prompt: Pandemic/Plague, and for molybdomantic's awesome prompts!

_From: Gemini@cdcgov.net_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: Progress_

C0dA-00 Test Module has been found to cause flu-like symptoms in laboratory mice (p-value <.0001). I suggest that we freeze this sample until further notice, then wait for an opportune moment to unleash the first strain. Thank you for your patience.

_From: Michael Davidson_   
_To: Gemini_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: Progress_

where are you getting all these mice from? don’t people ask questions?

_From: Gemini_   
_To: Michael Davidson_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: Progress_

I have a lot of grad students on NIH grants who’ve gotten cynical with the pace of progress and dropped out of the program. It’s not that hard to forge a few signatures (and if this is over the heads of some of you, I really suggest you up your game, because you’re going to need to fool more than the paper-pushers).

_From: Sagittarius@cdcgov.net_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: Progress_

Fine with me. Just as long as they’re not from Los Angeles or San Francisco or one of those cities, you know the thresholds for cancer significance are statistically higher in California.

_From: Cancer@cdcgov.net_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: Dibs_

When this is all over can I call North Africa? I’ve always wanted to see Algiers and Khartoum. Maybe set up some military bases there and decree myself overlord of all I survey.

_From: Michael Davidson_   
_To: Cancer@cdcgov.net_   
_Subject: RE: Dibs_

No objection on my end. Too hot. Are you sure you really want it, though? It seems chaotic enough as it is and I can’t imagine things are going to get any stabler in the months to come.

_From: Cancer_   
_To: Michael Davidson_   
_Subject: RE: RE: Dibs_

Before you can make a vaccine you have to crack a few cows. I think that’s how the saying goes.

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: Cancer_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: Dibs_

Fine with me but can you please pick a less creepy pseudonym?

_From: Cancer_   
_To: Sagittarius_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: Dibs_

What? No! This is my field of research, I totally get to be “Cancer.”

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: Cancer_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: Dibs_

You mean it’s not your actual zodiac sign?

_From: Gemini_   
_To: Sagittarius_   
_CC: Cancer_   
_Subject: Pseudonymity_

You didn’t think we just assigned people their zodiac sign as a pseudonym, did they? Weren’t you born in June? I mean, otherwise we’d have to go around drafting people to fill in all the months we didn’t already have and we’d need extra Libras or something. We can’t be having _too_ much justice over here.

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: Gemini_   
_Subject: Re: Pseudonymity_

No, I was not aware that I was apparently a Gemini or whatever, because I’m an actual soldier, not a pseudoscientist or whatever you people at the CDC apparently waste your time on these days.

P.S. If we’re still doing this, dibs on Tokyo, I guess.

_From: Capricorn@cdcgov.net_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: Backup Plans_

I have a new strain of C0dA tested and ready to go. It is twice as effective as the previous sample. I suggest we store it elsewhere from the previous sample to prevent contamination.

_From: Michael Davidson_   
_To: Capricorn_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: Backup Plans_

Didn’t the last sample kill all the lab rats eventually? How can this one be twice as effective?

_From: Gemini_   
_To: Capricorn_   
_Subject: RE: Backup Plans_

I like your idea. Where do you suggest storing this one?

_From: Capricorn_   
_To: Gemini_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: Backup Plans_

My inclination would be underneath the old facility on Peachtree, but I’m open to other views.

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: Backup Plans_

Like which Peachtree? Narrow it down.

_From: Cancer_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: …_

Not to get impatient or anything, but are we going to get a move on at some point?

_From: Gemini_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: …_

Eventually. We need to wait for a time when it won’t be obvious that there’s something weird about this virus. And hopefully, when it won’t be strange for us not to find a cure right away.

_From: Capricorn_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: …_

And the wait time on that is….?

_From: Gemini_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: …_

As long as it takes for three other typical diseases to break out at the same time. It’s more common than you think.

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: Comparisons_

So with your first strain ready to be released next week/year and Capricorn’s hidden in the vault, are we sure there’s any practical difference between the two?

_From: Capricorn_   
_To: Sagittarius_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: Comparisons_

Well, based on the lab tests and the genetic design, I expect so. For obvious reasons, we haven’t been able to test anything on humans yet. But if the first results come back too slow-acting or too virulent, we’ll be able to modify them over time.

_From: Gemini_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: Comparisons_

Don’t forget that we’ll be controlling the CDC funding too so anyone trying to control the spread of the disease won’t be able to move too slowly or too fast, depending on their results. That will be the main tool to keep C0dA in check for as long as we need.

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: Comparisons_

I’m just saying, for a bunch of accredited scientists, you seem awfully unconcerned about the experimental method.

_From: Gemini_   
_To: Sagittarius_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: Comparisons_

You know, good point. If it means that much to you, you should be the one to join the field team that’s futilely trying to find cures. They’ll need someone to string them along for a while, destroy the Faded along the way, and then abandon them to their fate, and none of us can be spared. And since you’ve claimed to be too ignorant to know how to cure diseases, they won’t suspect a thing. Hole up in Tokyo for a while, pass some information along when we show up to infect Patient Zero, and you can join them in June. Just in time for your birthday party, eh?

_From: Sagittarius_   
_To: Gemini_   
_CC: All Staff_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Comparisons_

That’s not what I meant! They’ll see right through me!

_From: Michael Davidson_   
_To: Sagittarius_   
_Subject: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Comparisons_

After half a year of having their expectations thwarted at every turn? I’m not so sure they will. And even if they do…you’re still the one who controls all their equipment. Use it well.

_From: cancer_laboratories@cdc.gov_   
_To: All Staff_   
_Subject: Happy New Year!_

Remember that January is cold and flu season! Please be sure to wear masks when coming into contact with patients, and always wash your hands.

Welcome to our new co-workers! Remember to list your birthday on the spreadsheet (attached) so we can celebrate at office birthday parties. (Please be cognizant of all allergies and health concerns, and if possible, bring snacks that avoid food contamination.)

If you are booking international travel, please see the office for reimbursements.

The CDC wishes you a safe and healthy new year!


End file.
